Objects

At first I went with a realistic type effect for my project, I began with the flamingo

(which I apologize I did not get a lot of photos on while working on it, I will be explaining more).

So I began with a rectangular box. I used segments to help build up my flamingo. I widened the body of the flamingo first to produce the shape of a flamingo. I them began to build the neck of the flamingo by using the Shift + F method and build up the neck. I used the rotate (y) tool to give the neck of the flamingo the curve as well as the face and beak.

After that I went back to the body to work on the tail of the flamingo. Once I felt that looked right, I began to work on the beak of the flamingo some more but couldn't quite get the feel of the beak (and later the neck) of the flamingo. I decided to add the legs using the disc tool. Since this flamingo object is actually a lawn ornament, I didn't have to go into too much details with that.

Once I was somewhat satisfied, I began surfacing the object. I just used a plastic preset on the entire thing because it's supposed to be a plastic lawn flamingo like in people's yards. After I was done, I hit tab to smooth the entire object. Even before hitting tab, it still looked pretty smooth for a box object. The first photo is before hitting tab, and the second photo is pressing tab to smooth the surface.

Before pressing the 'tab' key to smooth.

After.

Once I made the skelegons on this and played around with it on Layout, I determined I didn't really want to do realistic type surfacing. and scratched this flamingo altogether and restarted the character.

NEW FLAMINGO CHARACTER

I realized everyone had a great idea and type of surfacing effect and mine was turning into the norm of what I did in Graphics with a real look... my kiddo plays a lot of Minecraft and I thought, you know, this sounds like a fun way to do this. It's a type of design, and it's different from what I was going with. I began to research a little (I say a little because I too play Minecraft). I found you could easily get textures for surfacing, the objects are easily done with boxes (I mean, it is Minecraft after all). So I drew out a flamingo after making a boxed segment for the body.

and began constructing a Minecraft style flamingo.

 After I began surfacing just using the colors of a flamingo and working with it that way.

After, I began working on my "clean house" using the same Minecraft routine.

Walls with windows cut out.

Minecraft block roof.

Added a porch.

block pillars.

Can't forget the door!

Before surfacing

After surfacing.

Finished 'Nice' House Minecraft style.

Then I began working on the "trees" now trees on Minecraft are all kinds of crazy and difficult. So far the tree has been my biggest obstacle. I began by making a regular box and surfacing it with the 'tree' texture.

and did the same method with the "trunk" of the tree.

Just a tree...not so happy. 

I added the box with the 'leaves' and just went crazy cloning them and placing them as I felt necessary.

In Layout for reference.

I then went to work on my 'not so good' house...the one where the flamingo would be seen first. I decided to still do the method from the 'good house' but break apart some of the blocks to try my best to make it look like decaying house. 

I began surfacing it and trying to decide the best approach for the roof. I enlisted other Minecraft friends, Sophie and Angie, and they suggested the Acacia block for the roof...which was way better than what I went with originally (I used the lava rock...or the magma, I can't quite remember what it is called. But here is a pic to show you reference of my bad idea versus the chosen idea)

This is fine..no it's not LOL

Finished 'not so nice' house with Acacia roof.

After that I decided to start working on flowers, cause the good yard needs some nice flowers! and we all know Minecraft flowers are interesting little specimens. Here are some of the research photos I found and used to make mine below. 

This one was tedious. But I love sunflowers and HAD to make it.